Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual

Contents
Old Testament Lessons
Title Page
Lessons 1–2
Introduction to the Teacher Manual
- Lessons 1–2
  Welcome to the Old Testament
- Lessons 3–6
  Moses 1; Abraham 3
- Lessons 7–9
  Genesis 1–2; Moses 2–3; Abraham 4–5
- Lessons 10–12
  Genesis 3–4; Moses 4–5
- Lessons 13–15
  Genesis 5; Moses 6
- Lessons 16–18
  Moses 7
- Lessons 19–21
  Genesis 6–11; Moses 8
- Lessons 22–24
  Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2
- Lessons 25–28
  Genesis 18–23
- Lessons 29–32
  Genesis 24–33
- Lessons 33–34
  Genesis 37–41
- Lessons 35–37
  Genesis 42–50
- Lessons 38–40
  Exodus 1–6
- Easter
- Lessons 41–44
  Exodus 7–13
- Lessons 45–47
  Exodus 14–18
- Lessons 48–51
  Exodus 19–20; 24; 31–34
- Lessons 52–55
  Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 4; 16; 19
- Lessons 56–57
  Numbers 11–14; 20–24; 27
- Lessons 58–60
  Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34
- Lessons 61–64
  Joshua 1–8; 23–24
- Lessons 65–67
  Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16
- Lessons 68–70
  Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–7
- Lessons 71–73
  1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–16
- Lessons 74–76
  1 Samuel 17–18; 24–26; 2 Samuel 5–7
- Lessons 77–80
  2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 6–9; 11
- Lessons 81–82
  1 Kings 12–13; 17–22
- Lessons 83–85
  2 Kings 2–7
- Lessons 86–89
  2 Kings 16–25
- Lessons 90–91
  2 Chronicles 14–20; 26; 30
- Lessons 92–93
  Ezra 1, 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8
- Lessons 94–96
  Esther
- Lessons 97–99
  Job 1–3; 12–14; 19; 21–24; 38–40; 42
- Lessons 100–103
  Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46
- Lessons 104–106
  Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86
- Lessons 107–108
  Psalms 102–103; 110; 116–119; 127–128; 135–139; 146–150
- Lessons 109–112
  Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12
- Lessons 113–116
  Isaiah 1–12
- Lessons 117–118
  Isaiah 13–14; 22; 24–30; 35
- Lessons 119–122
  Isaiah 40–49
- Lessons 123–125
  Isaiah 50–57
- Lessons 126–129
  Isaiah 58–66
- Lessons 130–133
  Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20
- Lessons 134–137
  Jeremiah 31–33; 36–38; Lamentations 1; 3
- Lessons 138–141
  Ezekiel 1–3; 33–34; 36–37; 47
- Lessons 142–145
  Daniel 1–7
- Lessons 146–148
  Hosea; Joel
- Lessons 149–151
  Amos; Obadiah; Jonah
- Lessons 152–154
  Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah
- Lessons 155–157
  Haggai 1–2; Zechariah 1–4; 7–14
- Lessons 158–160
  Malachi
Lessons 166–170
Life Preparation Lessons
- Doctrinal Mastery: Finding Answers to My Questions
- Lessons 166–170
  Scripture Study Skills
- Lessons 171–176
  For the Strength of Youth Guide
- Lessons 177–180
  Building Self–Reliance
- Lessons 181–187
  Physical and Emotional Health
- Lessons 188–191
  Preparing for Future Education and Employment
- Lessons 192–195
  Succeed in School
- Lessons 196–200
  Missionary Preparation
- Lessons 201–204
  Temple Preparation
- Lessons 205–208
  Teachings of Church Leaders
Appendix

2 Kings 21–23: King Josiah and the Book of the Law

“2 Kings 21–23: King Josiah and the Book of the Law,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual (2026)

“2 Kings 21–23: King Josiah and the Book of the Law,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual

2 Kings 16–25: Lesson 87

2 Kings 21–23

King Josiah and the Book of the Law

King Josiah Reads the Book of the Law to the people

Have you ever wondered how your life might be different if you didn’t have the scriptures? When the kingdom of Judah fell away from God, the “book of the law“ (2 Kings 22:8, 11) was disregarded and eventually lost in the temple. During Josiah’s renovation of the temple the high priest Hilkiah found the book of the law, which Josiah then read to the people. The scriptures helped King Josiah and his people turn back to the Lord. This lesson can help students turn to the Lord through personal scripture study.

Student preparation: Invite students to review their personal scripture study goals and their efforts to read the assigned Old Testament chapters. Encourage them to continue working on their goals or to prayerfully make needed adjustments to be successful.

Possible Learning Activities

Life without scriptures

Before class, consider placing a bookmark in a Bible at 2 Kings 22:8. Hide the Bible in the classroom to use later in the lesson.

Write the following incomplete question on the board:

What would your life be like without ?

Consider providing each student with a small piece of paper. Invite them to write down a common item or activity that could complete the question. For example, they could write words like shoes, toothbrushes, school, or sports. Place students in small groups. Invite them to discuss how they would answer the question if it were completed with the words they have written. When students have finished sharing, give them time to silently consider the following:

Reflect on your personal experiences as you ponder the following questions:

What would your life be like without the scriptures?
How has your recent study of the scriptures influenced your relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

You might ask a few volunteers to share their responses. To add to the discussion, you could display the following statement.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about our need for the scriptures.

Those who either don’t have or ignore the recorded word of God eventually cease to believe in Him and forget the purpose of their existence. (“The Blessing of Scripture,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 33)

Later in the lesson, students will have an opportunity to identify and share scripture passages and reflect on their personal study goals. You might adjust portions of this lesson to allow sufficient time for the “Student sharing” and “Scripture study goals” sections.

The influence of scriptures

Over time, the scriptures had been lost, and the kingdom of Judah turned away from the Lord. Under the reign of kings Manasseh and Amon, the people engaged in idolatry and other wicked practices, including the sacrifice of children (see 2 Kings 21). After the death of Amon, his son, Josiah, was made king at the age of eight. Josiah was righteous. In the 18th year of his reign, Josiah arranged payment for workers to repair the temple in Jerusalem (see 2 Kings 22:1–7).

If you hid a Bible before class, explain that there are lost scriptures somewhere in the classroom. Invite students to find them. Ask the student who finds the Bible to locate the bookmark. Then provide the following instructions:

Read 2 Kings 22:8–13, looking for what happened as the temple was being repaired.

What did Hilkiah the high priest find?
How did King Josiah respond after hearing the words of the book, or the scriptures?

Josiah decided to read the book to all the people of Jerusalem (see 2 Kings 22:14–20; 23:1–2).

Read 2 Kings 23:1–3, looking for the influence that reading the scriptures had on Josiah and his people. Consider marking what you find.

What can we learn from these verses about the effect of scripture study in our lives?

Among the insights students share, they might identify that studying the scriptures can help us turn to the Lord with all our hearts. This could be written on the board and referenced throughout the remainder of the lesson.

To better understand this principle, students could complete the following with a partner. Each student could study one set of verses. Then partners could share with one another what they learned and discuss the accompanying questions.

As Josiah and his people learned from the scriptures and turned to the Lord, they were inspired to make changes in their lives. Read your assigned verses, looking for the changes they made.

Student 1

2 Kings 23:4, 24.

Why do you think the people needed to destroy all their idols to turn to the Lord with all their hearts?
How can scripture study help us turn away from the evil influences in our lives?

Student 2

2 Kings 23:21–22.

What religious practice did Josiah and his people follow again after reading the scriptures?
How can scripture study help us remember the Savior and live His gospel?

Student sharing

This portion of the lesson is designed for personal reflection and sharing. Students can share how the scriptures have helped (or could help) them turn to the Lord.

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) taught of the influence scripture study had on his life:

I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball [2006], 67)

Identify a scripture passage that has helped (or could help) you turn to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It could be from your personal or family scripture study or a previous seminary lesson, or it could be a doctrinal mastery passage. Prepare to share the following:

How has this passage helped (or how could it help) you turn to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ with all your heart?

When students are ready to share, invite everyone to write their passages on the board around the truth that they identified earlier. Ask for multiple volunteers to read their passage and share their insights or experiences. If needed, you could also share passages that have helped you turn to the Lord.

Consider pointing to passages on the board that haven’t been shared. You might ask if the students who wrote them would be willing to share. Or you might invite the class to read the passage and discuss how it could help us turn to the Lord.

As students are sharing, you might ask follow-up questions to encourage class discussion. For example, you might ask, “Has anyone else had an experience with that passage? Would you be willing to share?” or “What thoughts and feelings have you had as you’ve listened to each other?”

Scripture study goals

Consider sharing your witness that your students can have a similar experience as Josiah did as he studied the scriptures (see 2 Kings 23:25). Invite students to review their goals for personal scripture study and their progress in reading the assigned chapters of the Old Testament. Give them time to reflect on the following questions:

Do you feel your current scripture study goal is helping you fully turn to the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? If so, how have you seen this happen? If not, what adjustments will you make?
What meaningful experiences have you had with reading the assigned Old Testament chapters? What will you do to ensure you complete the assigned readings?

Encourage students to continue their efforts to study the scriptures daily.

Additional Resources

Why is daily scripture study so important?

President Russell M. Nelson taught:

24:24

As we seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our efforts to hear Him need to be ever more intentional. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths.

We simply cannot rely upon information we bump into on social media. With billions of words online and in a marketing-saturated world constantly infiltrated by noisy, nefarious efforts of the adversary, where can we go to hear Him?

We can go to the scriptures. They teach us about Jesus Christ and His gospel, the magnitude of His Atonement, and our Father’s great plan of happiness and redemption. Daily immersion in the word of God is crucial for spiritual survival, especially in these days of increasing upheaval. As we feast on the words of Christ daily, the words of Christ will tell us how to respond to difficulties we never thought we would face. (“Hear Him,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 89)

How might we apply the story of Josiah to our own lives?

President Spencer W. Kimball shared:

I am convinced that each of us, at some time in our lives, must discover the scriptures for ourselves—and not just discover them once, but rediscover them again and again.

The story of King Josiah in the Old Testament is a most profitable one to “liken … unto [our]selves.” (1 Ne. 19:24) To me, it is one of the finest stories in all of the scriptures. …

I feel strongly that we must all of us return to the scriptures just as King Josiah did and let them work mightily within us, impelling us to an unwavering determination to serve the Lord. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball [2006], 62, 63)

2 Kings 22:14. Who was Huldah the prophetess?

Huldah was a prophetess in the sense that she had the gift of prophecy, which is available to all members of the Church (see also “Prophetess” in the Guide to the Scriptures). She told the people of the prophecy of judgment against the wicked, which was contained in the scriptures. She also prophesied that Josiah would be blessed because of his faithfulness to the Lord (see 2 Kings 22:15–20).

Supplemental Learning Activities

Understanding Josiah’s story

To help students understand the storyline of Josiah, consider distributing the activity page “The scriptures are a blessing (2 Kings 22:8–11; 23:2).”

You could also watch “King Josiah” (1:36).

1:36

A mighty change of heart

Invite students to link or cross-reference 2 Kings 23:1–3 with Mosiah 5:1–5. You might explain that King Benjamin was another king who gathered his people to teach them God’s word. Invite students to read Mosiah 5:1–5, comparing the account of King Benjamin’s people with King Josiah’s people.

What similarities did you find?
What connections did you see between the people’s hearts and their willingness to make and keep covenants with the Lord? How might that apply to us today?

2 Kings 23:24. Putting away all abominations

You might summarize 2 Kings 23:4–24 by explaining that Josiah ensured that all the items of false worship were destroyed. He had them crushed into powder and burned them (see 2 Kings 23:4, 6, 14, 15, 24). To show students another example of this type of commitment to God, consider watching “Unwavering Commitment to Jesus Christ” from time code 0:18 to 1:39.

13:52

Invite students to silently read the following statement and ponder the accompanying questions.

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

God invites us to cast our old ways completely out of reach and begin a new life in Christ. (“Unwavering Commitment to Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 23)

What are some things you feel the Savior might want you to cast out of your life so you can better follow Him?
How might getting rid of these things help you turn to the Lord with all your heart?

Invite students to make this a focus of their personal scripture study. Encourage them to seek the Lord’s help to find the courage or creativity needed to remove evil influences from their lives.

Texting truth

After students share scripture passages that have helped them turn to the Lord, you could watch “Texting Truth” (2:22). Invite students to choose one of the passages shared in class and to text it to a friend or family member.

2:22

“Do what mattereth most”

Before students reflect on and adjust their personal scripture study goals, you could watch “Do What Mattereth Most” from time code 1:57 to 2:44. Sister Rebecca L. Craven shared a conversation she had where she explained the importance of scripture study and prayer.

10:46